When it comes to your children, we want to make sure they are always healthy and happy. Any type of medicine or vitamin can ultimately cause harm to you and your child if it is taken improperly. Yes, even over-the-counter medicine. With help from your pediatrician, you can review your family’s home and medication safety measures often. By visiting your pediatrician, you can also learn more about safe medication:

Storage

Dosing

What to do in an emergency

Food and Medication Interactions

Medical treatments can affect the way your child digests and absorbs food, just as what children eat can influence the effects the medications have on the body. Talking to your pediatrician will help with this confusion.

For example, griseofulvin, which is an anti-fungal medication, needs to be taken with a fatty meal otherwise, it will not be absorbed properly. Additionally, iron supplements for anemia should be taken with a mild acid like orange juice because the use of milk will cause it to not be absorbed properly.

The use of medication can affect your child’s nutrition in four different ways. They can:

Stimulate or suppress appetite

Alter the amount of nutrients and rate of absorption

Affect the way the body breaks down and uses nutrients

Slow down or speed up the rate food is digested

Visit Your Pediatrician

When taking any medication or vitamin, always ask your pediatrician first. Your pediatrician can explain whether a medication should be taken with meals or on an empty stomach. With thousands of possible drug-food interactions, it is vital that you speak with your pediatrician for further information and instructions for your child.

Remember to check every prescription with your pharmacist and pediatrician, as well as read the package insert for the best care for your child.